Alberni Valley Times
Published: Friday, June 15, 2012 For six years, Compliance Energy Corporation has been talking about developing a coal mine close to Buckley Bay on the east coast of Vancouver Island and using Port Alberni as their shipping centre.
During this process, a lot of people sat firmly on the fence over whether or not to support the proposed Raven Underground Coal Project.
Now that Compliance Coal has taken away the option of using rail or moving the proposed port down the Alberni Inlet, residents of the Alberni Valley really have to decide if the opportunities outweigh the risks
It's time to get off the fence. To Compliance, Port Alberni must seem like a gold mine when it comes to shipping their product to Asia. They look over the Hump and see a community struggling as industry fights to stay alive. Lots of people who once relied on forestry are looking for new ways to put food on the table. They probably thought residents of the Alberni Valley would do anything to bring jobs to their community.
The first time Compliance CEO John Tapics came to speak at the Alberni Valley Chamber luncheon, he met with almost no resistance. With the exception of a few tough questions following his presentation, he was welcomed with open arms. Flashforward more than a year, and the story is quite a bit different. This time, he faced protestors and camera crews waiting to hear his response to their vocal objection to the proposed coal port.
The coal port is proving to be a hard sell. That should not come as any great surprise, since Compliance is not putting a lot on the table to tempt people in the Valley.
At the meeting, Tapics surprised a lot of people by admitting that the company would not invest any money in a rail option for transporting the coal from the mine to the port. He said the only option they are considering is trucking. This dashed a lot of hopes people had that the coal mine could be the ticket to bringing rail back to the Valley.
Next, he told the crowd that they are not considering another location for the port because it would delay the project by at least a year. That came as a surprise to many people who hoped the company might consider locating the coal port farther down the Alberni Inlet.
Tapics did bring a few things to the table. He said the port would bring 21 jobs to the Valley. He promised that coal dust would not be a problem because they are committed to building a covered facility, although this is highly debated. He said Compliance is working with the Port Alberni Port Authority to explore the feasibility of establishing a truck route to Berth 2 that would keep trucks off the city streets.
But even with those three things on one side, the scale as far from balanced.
People opposed to the project are concerned about what dredging a portion of the Inlet will do to the marine environment. If fish stocks or oyster beds are harmed, the Valley has a lot more to lose than 21 jobs.
There is also the city's reputation to consider. People are finally starting to see Port Alberni as a great place to live. Word that a coal port is coming could change that. Tourists might not find the waterfront quite as appealing.
Property values could drop if word gets out that every hour two or three coal trucks will be crossing the Hump.
The Alberni Valley needs jobs, there's no doubt about that, but it is time consider if there is a better way to create 21 jobs.
This is a public process. Get involved or the future of this beautiful valley will be out of your hands.
" We want to hear from you. Send comments on this editorial to news@avtimes.net
© Alberni Valley Times 2012